Every human testicle contained microplastics in a new study
The toxic pollution really is that pervasive—and invasive.
BY ANDREW PAUL

POSTED ON MAY 20, 2024 3:44 PM EDT

Harmful microplastics aren’t only detectable in lungs, bloodstreams, and placenta—they can be found in human testicles, as well, according to a study published in the journal Toxicological Sciences.

After obtaining 23 postmortem human testes and 47 pet dog testes from veterinary neuterings, researchers used a process called pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS), heating samples to the point of decomposition. What remained was then separated and examined for the presence of microplastics using highly sensitive equipment.

The results were extremely troubling. All of the surveyed testes—canine and human—contained measurable amounts of microplastic material. Although researchers noted “significant inter-individual variability” across their sources, the human testicles averaged almost three times higher plastic concentration levels than the dogs—330 micrograms-per-gram versus 123 micrograms-per-gram. They also identified 12 separate varieties of microplastics in the testicles, with polyethylene (used to make plastic bottles and bags) being the most common.

“At the beginning, I doubted whether microplastics could penetrate the reproductive system,” study co-author Xiaozhong Yu said during a recent interview with The Guardian. “When I first received the results for dogs I was surprised. I was even more surprised when I received the results for humans.”

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